Southern Miss 2016 Jazz and Blues Festival this Easter Weekend

The University of Southern Mississippi is counting down the days until its most anticipated Jazz and Blues Festival, slated for Saturday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Held on the South Lawn on the University’s Gulf Park campus in Long Beach, this free event is enjoyed by many family and friends along the Gulf Coast.

“The Jazz and Blues Festival is our largest annual event on the Gulf Park campus, and we look forward to hosting our community and neighbors at this year’s festival,” said Dr. Steve Miller, vice president for the Southern Miss Gulf Park campus. “Guests will have an opportunity to partake in various activities throughout the day, experience great music and enjoy our beautiful beachfront campus in Long Beach.”

This year, the 2016 Southern Miss Jazz and Blues Festival will be headlined by the Stooges Brass Band, an elite brass band out of New Orleans. Known for providing a welcoming blast of true New Orleans spirit, the Stooges Brass Band will engage audiences with their innovative blend of traditional New Orleans brass sounds, contemporary jazz and hip-hop beats.

Not only will there be soulful tunes performed by local and visiting jazz and blues musicians, an array of arts and crafts vendors and food vendors will also be set up throughout the festival grounds. Festival T-shirts and posters will also be available for purchase during the event.

The younger audience can expect a host of children’s activities, such as carnival games, face painting and bounce houses, provided by various Gulf Park campus student organizations. An Easter egg hunt will begin promptly at 11 a.m. for children ages 12 and under. Throughout the day, children and families can also visit with the Easter Bunny and Southern Miss mascot Seymour.

The musical lineup for the 2016 Southern Miss Jazz and Blues Festival is as follows:

Main stage:

10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. The Southern Miss Jazztet

12:30 – 2 p.m. Coast Big Band

2:30 – 4 p.m. Dei One

4:30 – 6 p.m. Stooges Brass Band

Side stage:

12 – 12:30 p.m. Jimmy Robinson

2 – 2:30 p.m. Jimmy Robinson

4 – 4:30 p.m. Jesse Loya

The festival is sponsored by the Offices of the Associate Provost and Vice President at the Gulf Park campus, Gulf Park Student Government Association, Lamar Advertising, Southern Miss Physical Plant, Alpha Media, Division of Student Affairs at Gulf Park, Southern Miss Alumni Association and Coca-Cola.

The Southern Miss Gulf Park campus is located at 730 East Beach Boulevard in Long Beach. For more information on the 2016 Jazz and Blues Festival, visit www.usm.edu/jazz-blues or call 228.865.4574.